The First Fable
by kuroneko52
Summary: The tale of the Hero of Oakvale is one that many have told, but details are frequently changed from one person's account to the next. Who can say what really happened? Rated for language and content not meant for children. Follows the events of Fable, so... You know. Spoilers in later chapters.


**Disclaimer:** I do not own any rights to anything created by Lionhead Studios.

Nyaa.

**Please note:** This fanfiction follows the events of Fable, the first of the series with the same name. Think of it as part story, part gamer's playing-diary. For that reason, there may be certain **spoiler alerts** in later chapters, for those who haven't played the game.

You've been warned.

Nyaa.

**=^-.-^=**

**Chapter 1**

He dreamt of being a Hero. Not just in the esoteric, "oh-what-a-great-human-being" sense, but one of the chosen few whose very blood allowed them to be powerful warriors, skilled assassins, and even gifted mages – sometimes even a little of all three! To be great; to be adored or feared; to be _famous…_ What would that be like?

CC frequently had dreams of the many different things he could be. They were better than Theresa's dreams, at least. Just last night, his older sister had had _horrible_ dreams that resulted in her waking up screaming and frantic. Night terrors, their father had called them, although their mother looked less sure whenever she was present for one.

Maybe she had had them too, when _she_ was a young girl?

"Daydreaming again?"

The boy's head snapped up at Brom's voice, and he realized he had been somewhere between awake and asleep. His father chuckled as the boy stood up with a yawn and a stretch, trying to shake the sleepiness from his body. Brom had to wonder at his children; Theresa was wise beyond her years, and CC, though still a bit on the small side, was actually rather big for his age. Even their closest friends and neighbors sometimes forgot that she was nine and he was only five!

"What's… What's goin' on?" CC asked, sniffling as he looked up at Brom. "Where's Theresa?" He had to say the syllables of her name slowly, to avoid jumbling them – the best indicator of his true age.

"She's in the field at the head of the road." Brom smiled as CC walked past him, starting up the road. "Off to give her a birthday present?"

"Oh." CC stopped in mid-step, wincing. He'd made this very mistake last year, although that had been _ages_ ago. Still, if he forgot again…

Brom chuckled as his son turned to look at him expectantly. "You should fix that slippery memory of yours, son, rather than fooling around. I know you're young, but this is precisely why everyone calls you Chicken Chaser – not much for brains, I'm afraid." – CC winced again. – "Well, I'll tell you what; there's a trader in town today, and he's not asking much for his goods. You go around doing good deeds, and I'll give you some gold pieces. How's that? You'll have to work for your gold like the rest of us. Like a Hero."

CC's flat face lit up at the word 'Hero'. The boy really was too easy to predict sometimes.

He took off towards the heart of Oakvale. If there was anything that needed doing, maybe someone down there would know enough to point him in the right direction.

"CC!" He stopped at the sound of what could only be a mouse… or his neighbor. In this case, it was his neighbor, a sweet little girl who liked to tail him and his sister from time to time. She looked upset – perfect! Hero time!

"Hi, Sparrow." he said, waving as she walked up to him. "What's wrong?"

"It's Rosie. I can't find her!" Sparrow sniffled, wiping at her eyes. "I wanted to change her stuffing today…"

A quest! "I'll look for Rosie, Sparrow. I'll bring 'er if I find her."

"You don't know what she looks like!" Sparrow called after CC as he ran off once again.

"She's a teddy bear!" he yelled over his shoulder. Honestly, how many could there be in Oakvale?

"With a blue patch on her back!" Sparrow sighed and wondered if he'd even heard the last part as CC disappeared around the road's bend. Boys were so typical, even at _their_ young age…

"A teddy bear… A teddy bear…" CC mumbled, wandering around the town center. "If I was a bear, where would I be?" Maybe he could get away with doubling back and taking Theresa's old bear, passing that one off as Rosie… and maybe he could get away with not getting thumped by his older sister for it. He frowned. Did quests usually take this long?

An idea came to his mind: CC sometimes hid in a nearby barn when Theresa was sore at him, and sometimes Sparrow was there before even he was. Maybe she'd left Rosie there! After all, kids were _always_ forgetting stuff!

But, as he took the short path to where his favored hiding spot was, he noticed their owner pacing around outside and slowed to a stop. Shoot… This was a clinch in the plan…

"Hey, laddie!" The man ran over to him. CC's eyes felt like they would pop out of his skull as he tried to quickly come up with an explanation as to why he was on the man's property. "I've got to go and, erm… answer the call of nature, if you know what I mean. Be a good lad and watch my stock, won't you? There's a good lad!"

And just like that, the man was gone before CC could even say no. Frowning for a moment, the boy shrugged and went to the barn to look for Rosie anyway. All things worked out, at least.

Of course, as he looked through the stock, he was quickly interrupted by another kid, small as Sparrow. "Hey, Chicken Chaser! What'cha doin'?"

"Me? Oh… Watchin' this guy's stuff." CC straightened up innocently and crossed his arms, leaning against one of the stacks of crates.

"He's gone for a bit, then?" The younger boy looked around slyly. "I hear there's goodies in here. Let's pinch some!"

"What?!" He could feel the color draining from his face at the very notion. If his mother found out – and gossip spread like _wildfires _in Albion, especially in a boring place like Oakvale – she would beat the living tar out of him.

"Yeah! C'mon – don't be such a goody-goody!" the other boy said. "Unless you're scared. Unless you're just a big, blubbin' _girl._ I'll tell everyone you're just a chicken and not a Chicken Chaser at all!"

Great, just what he needed – for his earned name to become even _more_ demeaning. Still, a taunt was nothing compared to what Scarlet would do to him for misbehaving. His mother always tried to instill decency and honor into her children, and they got to see her so rarely… He wasn't about to misbehave and make her worry about leaving them at home with Brom alone to raise them.

Then again, if he _did_ make her worry, maybe she wouldn't travel so much… or, maybe she'd even take the 'trouble-maker' with her!

Now _that_ was a thought.

Before CC had a chance to turn his attention on the stock, just as he was cracking his knuckles in an adolescent display of showmanship, he caught sight of the man running back to the barn. Well, damn, as the grown-ups said – _that_ didn't go at all as planned, did it?

"Thanks, laddie! Thanks!" the man said, shooing CC and the other boy along. "You've done me a great favor. I already asked little Sparrow to go along and talk to your dad about it; maybe he'll give you a reward or somethin', eh? You and your friend run along now. Good-bye!"

What a weird man. Maybe there _was_ something good in those crates and barrels, after all…

"Chicken!" the younger boy yelled, reminding CC of his presence. "I'm tellin' everyone what a big _wimp_ you are! Yes, I am!"

CC clenched his jaw and his fists as the little boy began to point and laugh at him. Before he knew it, he'd socked the little blighter right in the head, and the child was knocked on his backside, swaying a bit with dizziness.

"Oy… Wh-What whazzat for?!" the boy called after CC as the boy started home. CC ignored him – maybe his father would have a gold piece or two for this.

He paused outside of Sparrow's house, reminded of the Quest for the Bear, as he was calling it now. He really should find it, since she was the one telling his dad how CC had helped the barn owner. But where could he look, now that his best lead was off-limits again? Ugh! That little kid had completely thrown him off, and now he was sort of starting to feel bad about hitting him on top of that…

CC sat on a bench to think. How many places were there for a bear to hide, anyway?

He heard giggling behind the house. Aha! Maybe someone had found the bear, and they were playing with it at that very moment! He jumped off of the bench and ran to the back. "Hey! Did'ja find…"

He stopped dead, going a little slack-jawed at what he saw. It was a couple of grown-ups, and they were making out! CC held his stomach to keep from retching. Didn't that man know that women had cooties and stuff?!

Wait… he recognized the man. He was married, and his wife was _not_ that woman! His wife was a housewife, too, no less – she stayed home cooking, cleaning, and raising the kids… sort of like how Brom was a househusband. CC frowned deeply, but backed away quietly, unnoticed by the two of them.

As soon as he was at the road, he took off again, quick as a whip. What a jerk, cheating on his wife! Did Scarlet do that on her trips? Certainly not – and neither did Brom, even though the mother of his children was gone so often!

CC knew _just_ what to do in this occasion, and it was something that children his age did best. He was totally going to tattle on that cheating sod!

"Miss! Miss!" he called, running to the man's house. His wife was already outside, and she gave CC a strange look as he ran up to her.

"What's this, then?" she asked, opening the gate. "What're you runnin' around for, you little Chicken Chaser?"

"Your… Your husband…" CC gasped for air. Perhaps he _did_ run around a bit too much… He jerked his thumb over his shoulder. "Your husband… 'Nother woman… Makin' out b'hind Sparrow's house…"

"What?!" The woman's face twisted in fury, making CC stumble back a bit for his own safety. "Again? That pig… I swear, this is the _last_ straw…!" She shook her head, sobering for a moment as she looked at the little brunette. She still looked a little mad. He hoped it wasn't at him. "Thank you, Chicken Chaser. You're a good lad. Maybe someday you'll earn yourself a better name than the one you've got… I'll be sure to tell your father about this. Maybe it'll inspire Brom 'n' Scarlet to give you a _real _name, rather than makin' you earn it like some sort of… Hero."

Seriously, why did everyone poke fun at his name? Sure, they'd given _Theresa_ a name, but CC liked that his parents went about naming him in tradition with the old Archons…

He watched the scary lady run off, wincing as he heard her distant cry of _"I'm going to cut them off!"_ He certainly hoped he never learned what 'they' were, but, having watched the two cheaters, CC would guess it was the man's hands. Or his lips! Yes, something like that.

Back to his quest for the missing teddy bear, though… he still hadn't found it, after all.

"What'cha playin' with that stupid little bear for, eh?!"

Bingo! CC turned his head in the direction of the voice, following it a little further up the road. There, instead of a bear, he found the town bully picking on a smaller boy. A citizen in trouble! Gritting his teeth, CC ran forward. "Hey! Knock it off!"

Both of the boys looked up. "Huh…?"

CC's fist clashed with the older boy's jaw. The first punch was followed by more. "Bullyin'… ain't… nice!" he growled between hits.

"Agh! I'm sorry! Get away from me, you nut!" the bully yelped. As soon as he managed to break away from the angry younger boy, he ran away like a dog with his tail between his legs.

CC grunted as he tried to catch his breath, glaring after the bully. He considered chasing him… but maybe that would be a bit much. Instead, he turned to the other little boy, only to realize it was the very same one he'd socked in the head before. He winced a little, but helped the kid up. "You okay…?"

"Er… y-yeah…" The smaller child dusted himself off nervously. "Uh… Thanks for punchin' his lights out."

"N-No problem." CC scratched the back of his head, shame-faced. He opened his mouth to say something, only to have something soft and furry thrust into his arms.

"Here – _you_ hold on to Rosie." Rosie?! "She'll be safer with you than with me. Just… don't tell anyone I had her, got it?!" the youngster demanded.

CC's face brightened. Finally, he had the bear! "Wow! Thanks! I won't tell – promise!" With that, he ran off back towards home, ready to finish his great, heroic quest, get paid, and buy his sister a present so she wouldn't thump him over the head for being an idiot.

* * *

"Theresa! Theresa!"

Theresa paused in her playing at the sound of her brother's voice, blue eyes twinkling as CC ran for the gate, waving at her from the road. He looked so proud, holding that familiar-looking box in his hand and grinning like a little lunatic. She giggled. He was adorable.

"Theresa! I got you – _oof!"_ He tripped and fell in the dirt. He sat up as quickly as he could, hastily brushed the field dirt from his shirt, and picked the box back up as his big sister ran to him. "I'm okay. Look! I got you something for your birthday! I didn't forget, not even for a minute!"

"You little fib." Theresa smiled, grabbing his hands and pulling him to his feet before accepting the gift. "Chocolates – I knew it! Just like in my dream…"

CC watched her smile slowly disappear. "Wh-What? What is it? Don't you like chocolates…?"

"I-It's not that." The strawberry-blonde looked around, troubled. As though she expected the worst to happen. "…Brother, I…"

"Bandits!"

Both children turned at the sound of the voice. Its owner – a man running down the road that led to the town – was quickly shot in the throat. They watched in horror as he fell down, dead.

"Oh, no… Run!" Theresa grabbed CC's hand, pulling him out of his shocked, immobile state and running across the field, towards the thick trees. She pushed him ahead of her urgently. "Run, little brother! Whatever you do, don't look back! Just _run!"_

He did run, like the little Chicken Chaser he was. It was the one thing he was good at, after all. He darted through the trees, not stopping when his vision became clouded and blurry, nor when his lungs burned to the point of exploding in his chest. He didn't stop until darkness approached and he tripped blindly over a tree root. He laid on the ground, panting and gasping for air that his lungs couldn't seem to keep ahold of.

That's when he became aware of the distant screams – what he had previously thought was just ringing in his ears. Maybe he'd only hoped that that was what it was. He turned his tear-filled eyes towards Oakvale to see a blazing red sky in place of what should have been starry night.

He was alone.

"Theresa…?" He weakly got to his knees, looking around. She was gone. His sister was gone! "Theresa!" Without even thinking, he was running again, this time back towards his home. Where else would she go? She had to have gone to warn their parents – she just _had_ to have!

His screams for his sister echoed throughout that terrible night.

**=^ónò^=**

Poor little Chicken Chaser – _yes,_ I am going to be changing his name later, don't worry! I'm only going to be keeping it for a chapter or three at most, before using another of the Titles for his name instead… I like the Titles, dammit…

Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah… Poor little Chicken Chaser!

Nyaa!

I know that the boy getting bullied and the boy who taunts your character during the warehouse subquest aren't the same boy, but they certainly look the same, so I thought 'mreh, why not?' Also, I usually end up punching the mouthy little bastard for - well, for being a mouthy little bastard. Hey, it's alright! We're both the same age! Don't look at me in that tone of voice.

Nyaa.


End file.
